Written Answers Tuesday 29 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16184 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 May 2005, what criteria are used to determine whether an accident and emergency ambulance constitutes a paramedic-led response.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16184 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 May 2005, what the proportion is of paramedics to technicians in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16184 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 May 2005, how many paramedic-led response calls there were in each of the last three years in (a) Scotland and (b) each NHS board area.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16184 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 May 2005, what the number of paramedic-led response calls in the last three years was as a percentage of non-paramedic-led response calls.

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16184 by Mr Andy Kerr on 5 May 2005, whether there have been any occasions when there was a call for a paramedic-led response accident and emergency ambulance which did not have a paramedic on board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Service deploys the most appropriate resource to an emergency call, and in relation to Category A (life threatening) calls, these should now all be responded to by a paramedic, whether that paramedic is in a rapid response unit, or is part of a double crewed ambulance, unless there are exceptional circumstances. It should be recognised that ambulance technicians are also trained and well equipped to deal with the wide range of conditions that are presented by patients who require an emergency ambulance response.

  Accident and emergency ambulances and rapid response units staffed by 1,155 paramedics and 910 technicians respond to around 500,000 incidents across Scotland each year that require the emergency ambulance service. This compares with a staffing mix of 721 paramedics to 1,101 technicians in 2002. These numbers are not broken down by NHS board area.

  Information on the number of incidents broken down to differentiate between those that received a paramedic-led response and those that did not is not currently available. This is one example of the type of information which the ambulance service is looking to capture once the proposed electronic patient record form is introduced.

  The ambulance service has a process in place whereby crews are encouraged to feed back to the control room cases where the response and resources deployed to a call did not appear to match the priority based dispatch categorisation.

Child Care

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) East Dunbartonshire local authority area have benefited from Sure Start Scotland; in what ways they have benefited, and how much of that organisation’s funding was allocated to projects in the areas.

Robert Brown: Data on the number of individual beneficiaries of the Sure Start Scotland programme, by local authority, is not held centrally.

  Since the programme began in 1999, West Dunbartonshire has received £4.016 million and East Dunbartonshire has received £2.254 million.

  Sure Start Scotland resources are used to help fund a range of services which provide an integrated package of support for children and their families. These include education and childcare centres, mobile outreach projects and parenting support classes.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the proposed Adoption Bill.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is committed to equality for disabled people. The consultation paper Safe and Secure Homes for Our Most Vulnerable Children set out the Scottish Executive’s proposals to modernise and strengthen the adoption system in Scotland, to the benefit of all those affected by it, including people with a communication impairment. In particular, legislative and other steps will be taken to facilitate the matching of children with suitable adoptive parents, outwith a child’s local authority area if necessary. This can particularly benefit children affected by disabilities where it may otherwise be hard to find prospective adopters. New legislation will seek to improve access to medical information for adoptive families. In implementing this legislation, Scottish ministers and local authorities will be subject, as in all their duties, to the Disability Discrimination Act.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the proposed Children’s Hearings and Integrated Services Bill.

Peter Peacock: The proposed Children’s Hearings and Integrated Services Bill will put in place the legislation to implement the proposals contained in Getting it Right for Every Child . These have been developed to ensure that every child’s needs are identified through an Integrated Assessment where this is necessary. It commits all services to working together to deliver what is required for each individual child’s needs.

  We also propose that agencies must be alert to a child’s needs and seek and record the child’s views. In implementing this legislation, Scottish ministers and local authorities will be subject, as in all their duties, to the Disability Discrimination Act.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Bill.

Peter Peacock: Education authorities, who would be responsible under the bill proposals for preparing strategies to promote greater parental involvement in their own children’s education and in the life of their school, will also need to have regard to the new requirements in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. And in future inspections of schools and authorities Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education will continue to look closely at how well authorities and schools do achieve the involvement of parents.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the proposed Local Government (Electoral Administration and Registration Services) Bill.

George Lyon: The proposed bill has the overall objective of modernising the administration of elections and registration services. Key elements of this modernisation are to make the process of voting more accessible and the registration of vital events more convenient. These measures will help people with a communication impairment as well as the general population. In particular, it is intended that the proposed bill would include a provision allowing Returning Officers to give guidance in a variety of languages and formats. This could include guidance for people who have difficulty in communicating through a physical impairment. In implementing this legislation, Scottish ministers and local authorities will be subject, as in all their duties, to the Disability Discrimination Act.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the proposed Summary Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: While the proposed Summary Justice Reform Bill will not specifically impact on the provision of services to people with a communication impairment, justice services will continue to be provided in a way which is designed to meet their needs. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, all public bodies must have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

  For example, interpreters are provided by the Scottish Court Service where English is not the first language of the accused and sign language services are made available where required. The Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 and its associated regulations, ensure that special needs, including any communication impairment, are taken into account when a decision is taken on whether an individual should receive criminal legal assistance for legal representation in court.

Communication Impairment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit equally from the provisions of the proposed Planning (Scotland) Bill.

Johann Lamont: It is the fundamental right of everyone in Scotland that they have the opportunity to influence decisions that affect them, irrespective of their sex, marital status, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or other personal attributes, including religious beliefs or political opinions.

  The objectives of our White Paper Modernising the Planning System and the forthcoming Planning Bill are to deliver a planning system that is more inclusive, fairer, open and accountable and sustainable.

  In implementing this legislation, Scottish ministers and local authorities will be subject, as in all their duties, to the Disability Discrimination Act.

Crime

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which categories of wildlife crime are most commonly investigated by each police force.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Crime

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of wildlife crime have been reported to each police force in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The following table shows the number of wildlife offences recorded by the Police.

  

Police Force
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Central
35
46
21
29
41


Dumfries and Galloway
24
16
33
54
30


Fife
16
20
16
15
28


Grampian
55
39
41
76
83


Lothian and Borders
8
14
20
40
42


Northern
69
55
72
67
75


Strathclyde
84
106
69
113
114


Tayside
26
23
46
42
48


All Scotland
317
319
318
436
461

Dentistry

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged 16 and under are registered with an NHS dentist in each NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  Number of Children Aged 16 and Under Registered with an NHS Dentist, 31 March 2005

  

NHS Board Area
Number Registered


Argyll and Clyde
54,786


Ayrshire and Arran
51,604


Borders
12,614


Dumfries and Galloway
17,743


Fife
43,968


Forth Valley
39,722


Grampian
62,047


Greater Glasgow
122,670


Highland
25,682


Lanarkshire
72,337


Lothian
107,003


Orkney
1,411


Shetland
3,067


Tayside
55,475


Western Isles
853


Scotland
670,982



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

Dentistry

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 60 and over are registered with an NHS dentist in each NHS board area.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  Number of People Aged 60 and Over Registered with an NHS Dentist, 31 March 2005

  

NHS Board Area
Number Registered


Argyll and Clyde
35,755


Ayrshire and Arran
36,504


Borders
10,240


Dumfries and Galloway
11,529


Fife
29,382


Forth Valley
21,932


Grampian
28,292


Greater Glasgow
72,340


Highland
11,032


Lanarkshire
40,199


Lothian
62,992


Orkney
1,167


Shetland
1,438


Tayside
40,560


Western Isles
1,733


Scotland
405,095



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the publication of its action plan on responding to the needs of children of drug misusing parents has been delayed and, if so, what the reasons are for the delay.

Hugh Henry: The Executive had planned to publish its action plan this autumn, as a follow-up to a series of Scotland-wide consultation seminars. We have, however, decided to postpone publication until spring 2006 so that the document can be informed by other key initiatives, such as the scoping study on parental substance misuse, the Getting It Right for Every Child proposals for action, and the 21st Century Social Work Review.

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its action plan on responding to the needs of children of drug misusing parents will now be published.

Hugh Henry: The Executive intends to publish its action plan on responding to the needs of substance misusing parents in spring 2006.

E coli

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of E coli have been found in (a) schools, (b) leisure centres, (c) hospitals and (d) businesses in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Lewis Macdonald: Most cases of E coli are sporadic and there is rarely any microbiological confirmation of the source of infection.

  From 1999 to date, 18 outbreaks of E coli linked to school or business locations were identified by Health Protection Scotland.

  Outbreaks are defined as incidents involving members of more than one household, or institutions. There were no reported outbreaks linked to leisure centres or hospitals. A total of 80 persons were both ill, and had positive laboratory confirmation of infection.

  Information is not held by local authority area, but a break down by NHS board area is shown in the following table.

  Outbreaks of E coli O157 Infection in Schools or Businesses in Scotland: Details Reported to Health Protection Scotland by NHS Board Public Health Department

  

Year
Type of Location
Number Ill and Positive
NHS Board


1999
Shop
3
Greater Glasgow


1999
School(Goat’s cheese from a private farm was brought into the school)
22
Grampian


1999
Campsite
6
Highland


1999
Nursing home
2
Fife


2000
Caravan park
2
Dumfries and Galloway


2001
Restaurant
3
Argyll and Clyde


2001
Shop
2
Argyll and Clyde


2001
Restaurant
2
Lothian


2001
Caterers(Christening party)
6
Greater Glasgow


2002
Restaurant
2
Greater Glasgow


2002
Holiday cottages
6
Highland


2002
Caravan site
5
Tayside


2003
Nursery(Index case acquired infection abroad)
2
Forth Valley


2004
Visitor farm
6
Dumfries and Galloway


2004
Holiday cottages
5
Highland


2005
School
2
Tayside


2005
Holiday cottages
2
Highland


2005
Restaurant
2
Ayrshire and Arran



  Notes: *Some additional suspected outbreaks were identified in 2004 and 2005, which have not yet been confirmed by local investigators.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the compulsory elements of the secondary school curriculum.

Peter Peacock: The only statutory aspects of the curriculum are Religious Education and Religious Observance. The aims for Religious Education as set out in the 5–14 guidelines include helping pupils to develop their own beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices through a process of personal search, discovery and critical evaluation.

  The aims of Religious Observance include promoting pupils’ spiritual development by increasing their understanding of religious practices such as prayer and meditation and the religious experience which underlies them. The Scottish Executive Education Department issued a revised circular on religious observance in Scottish schools in February 2005 (Circular 1/2005). This circular describes and explains the Scottish Executive’s policy on the provision of religious observance in Scottish schools and sets out action for local authorities in planning the provision of religious observance and can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/circ1_05-00.asp.

  Learning and Teaching Scotland appointed a Development Officer in May 2005 to work with key faith groups in producing support materials to support the 1/2005 circular.

  The Structure and Balance of the Curriculum: 5–14 National Guidelines advise education authorities and schools of the minimum time allocations for each of the following curricular areas:

  
English Language – 20%
  Environmental Studies – 15%
  Expressive Arts – 15%
  Mathematics – 20%
  Religious and Moral Education – 10%
  Curriculum Flexibility – 20%.


  The guidelines do not specify how much of this should be spent on individual subjects but schools are encouraged to use curriculum flexibility time for activities which reflect their own needs and circumstances. In S3-S6 the flexibility factor is 30%.

  The S3/S4 stage of secondary education builds on the learning experiences of S1/S2. It provides a framework within which, subject to principles of breadth and balance, pupils can make negotiated choices in accordance with their own aspirations, interest, abilities and potential career paths.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the history syllabus is Scottish in content or perspective in the 5-14 curriculum and (a) standard, (b) higher and (c) advanced higher grade courses.

Peter Peacock: The Structure and Balance of the Curriculum 5-14 National Guidelines set out minimum time allocations for Environmental Studies 5-14 and four other key curriculum areas but do not specify how much of this should be spent on individual subjects. However, guidelines for Environmental Studies, which include History, make it clear that there is an expectation that attention should be given to events in Scottish history in both primary and the first two years of secondary.

  There are no set percentages for Scottish or any other areas of study within Standard Grade, Higher and Advanced Higher History courses. Each of these courses offers a range of options for study including different time periods within the history of Scotland. For example, study of the Highland Clearances is part of the 1830 to 1930 option at Standard Grade.

Equal Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) representations it has made to, (b) discussions it has had with and (c) meetings it has had with (i) the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and (ii) other organisations regarding equal pay for women in local authority employment.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has made no representations or held discussions or meetings with the EOC or other organisations on the specific issue of pay for women in local authority employment as this is a matter for local authorities.

  The Executive has had a number of discussions with a range of organisations on the general issue of equal pay in the context of its work on gender equality. This has primarily been through the Executive’s role as a partner within the Close the Gap project.

  For the last four years the Scottish Executive has been a partner, along with the Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland, in the Close the Gap project which aims to raise awareness about the pay gap between women and men in Scotland and encourage activity to close it, such as carrying out equal pay audits or reviews. The project steering group, which is made up of representatives from all the partner organisations – Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Trades Union Congress and TGWU, the EOC Scotland, Fair Play and the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute, meets regularly to discuss the issues surrounding the pay gap.

Equal Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what cognisance it has taken of representations it has received on equal pay and what action it will take to ensure that all women who work for local authorities receive equal pay for work of equal value retrospectively and prospectively.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20706 on 23 November 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

General Medical Services

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels were of General Medical Services (a) indicative funding in 2003-04 and (b) actual funding in 2004-05 for (i) Orkney and (ii) Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: (a) The levels of indicative funding for General Medical Services (GMS) in 2003-04 were (i) £2.7 million for NHS Orkney and (ii) £477.8 million for NHS Scotland. The funding was indicative because it included the estimated amounts required to cover non discretionary expenditure under the former GMS contract, which was fully funded by the Scottish Executive.

  (b) The levels of actual funding for Primary Medical Services in 2004-05 were (i) £3.8 million for NHS Orkney and (ii) £559.2 million for NHS Scotland. This included additional funding of £32 million transferred from HM Treasury to meet increased employer’s superannuation contributions.

  In 2004-05, following the introduction of the new contract for Primary Medical Services, NHS boards are required to deliver primary medical services through a range of contractual options within the actual funding that they are allocated.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it has taken to address Seasonal Affective Disorder in women.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards working with their partners are responsible for assessing and responding appropriately to all needs in their area.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16187 by Mr Andy Kerr on 9 May 2005, whether the procurement exercise on Picture Archiving and Communications Systems has been concluded and a supplier identified.

Mr Andy Kerr: A contract to deploy Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) facilities where they’re required across NHS Scotland will be signed soon.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to eliminate hospital-acquired infections.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Ministerial Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force is nearing completion of a three-year programme of work to improve prevention and control of HAI. The task force has developed a raft of tools, including a national Code of Practice for the Local Management of Hygiene and HAI, a range of professional guidance, public information, and multidisciplinary education and training programmes.

  We recently announced that the task force will lead a new programme of work (underpinned by the £15 million Clean Hospitals funding). This will focus on implementation of, and monitoring compliance with, HAI Task Force recommendations and Scottish Executive requirements to ensure that best practice on infection prevention and control is firmly embedded into working practices throughout NHSScotland.

  For example, I recently launched a monitoring tool that will measure compliance within NHS boards with the NHSScotland National Cleaning Services Specification. The Health Department will receive quarterly reports on compliance.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase the quality and variety of homes in disadvantaged areas of the West Dunbartonshire local authority area since 1997; how many homes have been built or improved as a consequence, and where these are located.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
Communities Scotland (and its predecessor, Scottish Homes) has worked strenuously to increase the quality and variety of houses in disadvantaged areas of West Dunbartonshire. In particular:
Since 1997 (and before) investment has been targeted almost solely on areas of deprivation in West Dunbartonshire, especially in the seven former social inclusion partnership priority areas, which now correspond to the community planning areas for priority investment.
Communities Scotland has worked in close partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council, local registered social landlords (RSL) and communities to identify local housing need, together with the type and tenure of housing appropriate to local areas. This has involved the development of comprehensive area based housing strategies including the restructuring of estates and removal of unpopular/low demand housing.
Together with the above Communities Scotland is ensuring through its appraisal procedures an increase in housing quality through the use of sustainable materials, increased energy efficiency and the provision of housing for varying needs.
Since 1997 (the nine year period from 1996-97 to 2004-05) 1,466 houses have been provided comprising 846 units for social rent general needs, 291 units for social rent special needs, 329 for low cost home ownership (71 units shared ownership and 258 units GRO grant funded). Total investment over this period was £61,365,000.


  The location of the houses provided as follows:

  

Clydebank/Faifley 
645


Bellsmyre/Dumbarton
 73


Haldane/New Bonhill
249


Renton/Alexandria
499



  In addition, for 2005-06 approvals have been given for another 142 affordable houses and a further £9,601,000 investment.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences have been committed by offenders released on home detention curfew, broken down by (a) offence and (b) police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Home Detention Curfew is not yet available in Scotland. The Home Detention Curfew provisions in the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill, passed by the Parliament on 3 November 2005, are not expected to come into force until next year.

Mental Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific action it has taken to address Seasonal Affective Disorder in younger people.

Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards working with their partners are responsible for assessing and responding appropriately to all needs in their area.

Mental Health

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the proportion of adults in the (a) NHS Greater Glasgow, (b) Clydebank and (c) Milngavie and Bearsden area affected by poor mental health.

Lewis Macdonald: Information for the areas requested is not held centrally.

  National estimates drawn from sample data of general practitioner consultations for dementia, post natal depression, anxiety and depression are available from the NHS, National Services Scotland at: http://www.isdscotland.org/general_practice_info.

  Data on the proportion of GP registered patients with severe and enduring mental health problems who have agreed to regular follow-up through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) process is available at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/qof.

NHS Hospitals

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding allocations have been made to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank in each year since it has been under NHS control.

Mr Andy Kerr: The funding allocations made each year to The Golden Jubilee Hospital, since it was purchased for the NHS in June 2002 are as shown in the following table.

  

Year
Revenue Resource Limit
(£000)
Capital Resource Limit
(£000)


2005-06 Year to Date
37,966
3,790


2004-05*
33,341
3,870


2003-04*
28,400
3,059


2002-03* (June 02 onwards)
17,100
2,000



  Note: *Information obtained from Annual Accounts.

National Parks

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been provided in this financial year to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority to assist with enforcement measures on Loch Lomond.

Rhona Brankin: My predecessor Lewis Macdonald indicated to the Convener of the Park Authority that ministers would make additional funds available to the extent that there were additional and previously unforeseen enforcement costs falling on the authority which could not be contained within the approved budget for 2005-06.

National Parks

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources will be provided to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and, specifically, what additional resources will be provided to assist with the enforcement of any proposed bye-laws in respect of speed and safety on Loch Lomond.

Rhona Brankin: Following the outcome of the Spending Review in 2004, officials wrote to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority to indicate that its grant in aid allocation would rise from approximately £6.6 million in 2005-06 to approximately £6.9 million in 2007-08. In addition, ministers have indicated that capital funding of £8.973 million will be made available for the construction of a new headquarters building for the park authority. The authority is expected to meet its objectives including the enforcement of byelaws from within the resources available.

Nursing

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many practice nurses were trained in the last three years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Pre-registration education prepares nurses for initial practice. Practice nurses can also undertake a Specialist Practitioner Education programme in general practice nursing which is degree level programme. However, it is not mandatory to hold this qualification in order to practice.

  The number of students successfully completing the Specialist Practitioner Qualification (SPQ) in General Practice Nursing in Scotland from 1 April 2002 to 22 November 2005 is shown in the following table.

  

Year
Number successfully completed SPQ in General Practice Nursing in Scotland


1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003
22


1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004
20


1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005
9


1 April 2005 to 22 November 2005
9


Total since 1 April 2002
60

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities have an up-to-date development plan, as outlined in the White Paper, Modernising the Planning System .

Johann Lamont: The white paper proposes that there will be a statutory duty placed on local authorities to update all development plans within five years of the date of adoption or approval.

  We will work in partnership with planning authorities to deliver the package of reforms contained in the white paper and to support authorities where difficulties arise.

  The Executive will continue to monitor development plan progress under the new development plan system and to make this information publicly available.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken against local authorities who fail to produce an up-to-date development plan, as outlined in the White Paper, Modernising the Planning System .

Johann Lamont: The white paper proposes to place a statutory duty on local authorities to update all development plans within five years of the date of adoption or approval.

  Where serious failures occur, ministers will have powers to request information from planning authorities on the operation of their functions and to direct an audit of those functions with a clear process for making and following up on recommendations.

  In addition, ministers will have powers to intervene and prepare a strategic or local development plan, and to recover the costs of preparation from the relevant authority. However, these powers would only be used in exceptional circumstances and where other measures have failed.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17401 by Cathy Jamieson on 30 June 2005, why the Scottish Prison Service believes that staff turnover does not adversely affect the performance of the service.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Staff turnover is significantly below the UK average and we are meeting the performance targets set by ministers.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15588 and S2W-17698 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April and 24 August 2005, how it reconciles the statement that there have been no breaches of the contract with Premier Prison Services Ltd to operate HM Prison Kilmarnock with the fact that Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd reported to the Scottish Prison Service a contractual failure to open the prison on the agreed date of 16 March 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
Failure to meet a particular contractual commitment not a breach of contract.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17698 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 August 2005, whether any disciplinary action or penalty was imposed on Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for its contractual failure to open HM Prison Kilmarnock on 16 March 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  
No, but liquidated damages were paid to SPS by the Company.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15585 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 April 2005, who is responsible for awarding compensation to the family of James Barclay if it is not a matter for the Scottish Prison Service.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
It is open to any person who feels that he or she should be compensated for the actions of another person to apply to the court. It is for the court to decide after hearing the application whether to award damages.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17676 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 July 2005, how the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is able to fulfil its responsibility, under the terms of clause 49.1 of the minute of agreement between the Scottish Prison Service and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd, to provide information about the contract and the performance of the contractor for HM Prison Kilmarnock when an enquiry is made from the Parliament, its members and officers if the SPS does not have this information.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
Staff turnover is not information relating to the performance of the contractor or the subcontractor under the contract so falls outwith the terms of this clause.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what remit the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has in respect of health and, in particular, in relation to sewage sludge burial.

Rhona Brankin: SEPA’s regulatory duty to control emissions to water, land and air and monitoring the quality of Scotland’s environment, ensures that licence conditions protect and improve both the environment and human health.

  As regards the use of sewage sludge on land, according to paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency shall discharge its specified functions with the "relevant objectives". Paragraph 4(1)(a) states that the "relevant objectives" in relation to the disposal or recovery of waste include "ensuring that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods which could harm the environment".

Teachers

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there are any reasons why local authorities will be unable to fill vacancies for teachers in subject departments and, if so, what these reasons are and what action it will take to address the issue as soon as possible.

Peter Peacock: The staffing of individual subject departments are matters for local authorities.

  The Scottish Executive carries out an annual teacher workforce planning exercise to ensure at a national level adequate numbers of newly qualified teachers are trained for when they are required in publicly funded schools. This takes into account factors such as the age profile of the profession; changing pupil numbers; numbers of new entrants to the profession and those leaving due to resignation, retirement etc.

  As part of the exercise subject specialisms are prioritised to make certain intakes to initial teacher education reflect the teachers needed. Factors which are considered in the prioritisation exercise include vacancy levels reported by local authorities and the demand from local authorities for probationer teachers in each sector/subject.

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers have been employed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The available information on how many PE teachers have been employed, broken down by local authority is shown in the 2003 and 2004 Teacher Censuses. This can be accessed using the following hyperlinks:

  
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00352-00.asp
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00416.

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers are eligible for retirement in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008, broken down by local authority area.

Peter Peacock: The normal retirement age of teachers is 60. Teachers employed by local authorities must retire at 65, so there is potential to retire at anytime between 60 and 65 with unreduced benefits. Teachers can apply to retire at any time between 55 to 59 with an actuarially reduced pension, though in practice at present very few teachers are doing so. The employer must agree to the teacher’s retirement but consent cannot be held for more than six months.

  The following table shows the numbers in each year at 60 and above who are eligible to retire rather than the number that will retire in the years specified. Teachers therefore can appear in more than one column.

  Full-Time Equivalent Secondary Teacher Numbers, Where Main Subject is PE

  

Teachers Aged
59 to 63
58 to 62
57 to 61
56 to 60


Eligible for Retirement
2005
2006
2007
2008


Aberdeen City
-
-
*
*


Aberdeenshire
*
*
*
*


Angus
-
*
*
*


Argyll and Bute
*
*
-
*


Clackmannanshire
-
-
*
*


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
-
-


Dundee City
-
-
*
*


East Ayrshire
-
-
-
-


East Dunbartonshire
-
-
*
*


East Lothian
-
-
*
*


East Renfrewshire
*
*
*
*


Edinburgh, City of
-
-
*
6


Eilean Siar
-
-
-
-


Falkirk
*
*
*
*


Fife
-
-
*
*


Glasgow City
*
*
*
*


Highland
-
*
*
*


Inverclyde
-
*
*
*


Midlothian
-
-
-
*


Moray
*
*
*
*


North Ayrshire
-
-
*
*


North Lanarkshire
*
*
*
6


Orkney Islands
-
-
-
-


Perth and Kinross
*
*
*
*


Renfrewshire
-
*
*
7


Scottish Borders
-
-
*
*


Shetland Islands
-
-
-
-


South Ayrshire
-
-
-
*


South Lanarkshire
-
-
*
*


Stirling
-
-
*
*


West Dunbartonshire
-
*
*
*


West Lothian
*
*
*
*


All Local Authorities
10
20
47
72



  Note: *Numbers less than five are deemed to be disclosive, hence not published.

Teachers

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average pay of (a) primary and (b) secondary teachers holding a (i) degree, (ii) master’s degree and (iii) doctorate was in 2004-05.

Peter Peacock: Information linking the salary of teachers and qualifications is not held centrally.

Voluntary Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enable the voluntary sector to offer pay and conditions comparable with those in the public or private sectors.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is not in a position to influence voluntary sector pay and conditions. However, the Executive fully recognises that pay and conditions are a crucial element of securing a viable future for the voluntary sector. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), on behalf of the voluntary sector, is working with the Scottish Trades Union Council (STUC) in addressing this issue as part of a Voluntary Sector Workforce Development Strategy, which has recently been developed following consultation with the sector and key stakeholders.

Waste Management

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average charge for business customers has been for (a) water supply and (b) waste water services in each year since 1997 under (i) each of the previous water authorities and (ii) Scottish Water.

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average charge for residential customers has been for (a) water supply and (b) waste water services in each year since 1997 under (i) each of the previous water authorities and (ii) Scottish Water.

Rhona Brankin: This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. Therefore I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Water to write to you with the information that you have requested.